Telephone rest

ABSTRACT

A one-piece rest for a telephone handset primarily but not necessarily designed and uniquely adapted for use by a bedridden patient who is either unable or not permitted to use her hands and arms. It comprises a foam rubber or an equivalent blocklike pad whose planar bottom side has a pair of depending shoulder straddling legs or brackets and whose generally planar top surface has a molded recess for reception and properly poised retention of the ready-to-use handset.

United States Patent 2,382,125 8/1945 Balkins [72] Inventor Bernice Frankowski 1939 Lucina Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15210 3,163,722 12/1964 Gomez 179/157 1969 Primary Examiner-William C. Cooper d B. b Patented Oct-12, 1971 Attorneys Clarence A O Bnen an Harvey Jaco son [54] TELEPHONE REST 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs AESTEACT: A one-piece rest for a telephone handset primarily but not necessarily designed and uniquely adapted [52] US. Cl 179/157 f by a bedridden patient who is either unable or not [51] V05 mitted to use her hands and arms. 1t comprises a foam rubber [50] Field of Search 179/ 157 or an equivalent blocklikc pad whose planar bottom Side has a [56] References Cited pair of depending shoulder straddling legs or brackets and whose generally planar top surface has a molded recess for UNITED STATES PATENTS reception and properly poised retention of the ready-to-use 3,567,871 3/1971 Walter v l 79 /1 57 handset g 6 8 Via A /0 1 A 32 4K 26 l4 1 l8 "if;

PATENTEDnm 12 I97! Bernice Fran/rowski WWW M TELEPHONE REST This invention relates to a telephone handset rest which lends itself to readily applicable and removable use atop either shoulder of a user and has to do, more particularly, with a novelly constructed adaptation which while appropriate for general use by anyone who would have need for it, is expressly suitable for use by a bedridden patient who, for one reason or another, cannot use her arms and hands.

Shoulder supported accessories and holders which serve to elevate and position a handset are not, as is generally well known, new. Certain holders in this field of invention are attached to the handset and are seated in one manner or another atop the selected shoulder of the user. In other instances shoulder rests which are adaptable for the purposes desired have been devised and acceptably used. An object of the present invention is to advance this field of endeavor and to provide a rest for a handset which while capable of general use by users who are called upon to have their hands free for whatever purposes desired, is primarily and effectually designed for a bedridden patient who, for one reason or another, is unable or not permitted to use hands and arms and which well serves the intended purpose in that it functions with requisite nicety and certainty while the patient is lying down or sitting up, as the case may be.

Briefly, the handset rest hereinafter set forth is characterized by a pliant or compressibly resilient pad. This pad is of general rectangular blocklike form and is of a size and shape which functions to support and elevate the handset and has generally planar top and bottom surfaces. The top surface has self-contained means for cradling and maintaining the handset suitably poised and in a reliably stabilized talking and lifting position. Means is carried by and depends from the bottom side of the pad for balancing and centering the pad, this means being adapted to conformably embrace a selected shoulder and serving to retain the pad in a comfortable set position.

More specifically, the self-contained means comprises a molded recess which is marginally delineated and contoured in top plan and accurately formed to accommodatingly and conformably seat the mouthpiece, the receiver and interconnecting handle components of the handset. Once the rest is properly positioned on the patients shoulder and the handset is lodged in the recess means the patient can acceptably hear and speak without requiring the use of the arms and hands as would ordinarily be the case. To the ends desired the recess means is not only contoured for retentive reception of the handpiece, it is slanted or inclined with respect to the horizontality of the top surface so that when the handpiece has been lodged in the recess means the mouthpiece and receiver face upwardly and away from the top surface for coordinate orientation with the users ear and mouth, respectively.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals efer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a conventional telephone handset supported in a usable position on the pad portion of the rest and also showing one of the brackets or legs and how it assists in perching the rest on the user's left shoulder.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the pad of the rest and emphasizing the shape of the handset lodging and presenting recess means.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view which serves to bring out the depending leg type brackets.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The primary component or part of the overall rest takes the form of an elongated foam rubber or an equivalent compressibly resilient pad. This pad is denoted, generally stated, by the numeral 6 and is of general elongate or rectangular form and is preferably of substantially uniform thickness or cross-sectional dimension from end-to-end. It is of the suggested thickness illustrated in FIG. 1 in order to provide a support as well as elevating means for the handset 8. It has a substantially flat or planar top surface or side 10 and a parallel substantially planar or flat bottom side or surface 12. The outward median marginal edge portion of the pad is denoted at 14 and has inclined or chamfered end portions 16 merging with the respective transverse end portions 18. The inward or proximal marginal edge portion is of the irregular contour shown in FIG. 2 and has a suitably notched median portion 20.

The recess means for the handset is denoted, generally stated, by the numeral 22 and, as before stated is marginally delineated and expressly molded to fittingly receive the handset 8. This is to say the central or median portion of the recess as denoted at 24 serves to accommodate the handle portion 26 of the handset. The pockets 28 and 30 at the respective ends (FIG. 2) are identical in construction and shaped to accommodate the end members of the handset. More specifically one pocket serves to accommodate the receiver 32 (FIG. I) and the other pocket serves to accommodatingly seat the mouthpiece 34. In other words, the overall handset is seated, lodged and cradled in the recess means thus provided. It should be noted in FIGS. 1 and 4 that the recess means, generally construed, is of prerequisite depth and also is suitably inclined in order that the apertured surfaces of the mouthpiece and receiver face upwardly and away from the top surface for coordinate orientation with the user's ear and mouth respectively.

The pad is balanced and held safely with requisite nicety by way of depending adapter means. More specifically this means comprises a pair of suitably bowed legs which are identical in construction and which are denoted at 36 (FIG. 3). These legs have their upper ends attached as at 38 to the median underneath side 12. The lower ends are suitably broad and free as at 40. The surfaces are provided with grooves 42 and intervening ribs 44 as brought out in FIG. 4 to prevent accidental slippage once the device is placed in usable position as shown in FIG. I. When in this position the brackets or legs straddle the shoulder and function in a seemingly obvious manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A telephone handset comprising a readily applicable and removable rest embodying a pliant pad of a size and shape capable of supporting and elevating said handset and having top and bottom surfaces, said top surface having self-contained means for cradling and maintaining the handset acceptably poised and in a reliably stabilized talking and listening position, and means carried by and depending from the bottom side and adapted to conformably embrace the selected shoulder and serving to balance and retain said pad in a set position, said selfcontained means comprising a recess which is marginally contoured and accurately formed to accommodatingly and conformably and retentively seat the mouthpiece, receiver and interconnecting handle components of said handset.

2. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said recess is also such in design and contour that it functions not only to securely cradle the handset but to cause it to assume an inclined ready-to-use state with the effective apertured surfaces of said mouthpiece and receiver facing upwardly and away from said top surface for coordinate orientation with the users ear and mouth, respectively.

3. The rest defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said recess embodies a median lengthwise portion for the handset handle and end pockets for the receiver and mouthpiece, said pockets being similarly shaped so that said rest can be properly used on either shoulder merely by positioning it for use on the selected shoulder.

4. The rest defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said pad is made of compressibly resilient material, foam rubber for example.

5. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the means on said bottom side comprises a pair of opposed spaced legs constituting brackets, said legs being made of selfshape retaining material and being adapted to straddle the front and rear surfaces of the shoulder of the user.

6. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the means on said bottom side comprises a pair of opposed spaced legs constituting brackets, said legs being made of selfshape retaining material and being adapted to straddle the front and rear surfaces of the shoulder of the user, said legs having upper ends integrally joined with said bottom surface and inward surfaces which are longitudinally grooved and ribbed in a manner to minimize slippage and accidental displacement of the in-use rest.

7. A readily applicable and removable rest for a one-piece telephone handset comprising a compressibly resilient pad of a size and thickness to support and elevate said handset, said pad having planar top and bottom sides, said top side having a molded recess which is marginally delineated and otherwise contoured to conformably and retentively but removably seat the mouthpiece, receiver and interconnecting handle components of said handset, said bottom side having a median portion provided with a pair of opposed spaced depending legs made of self-shape retaining plastic material and providing companion brackets which are designed and adapted to comfortably and conformably straddle the shoulder of the user.

8. The telephone handset rest defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein said legs having upper ends integrally joined with said bottom surface and inward surfaces which are longitudinally grooved and ribbed in a manner to minimize slippage and accidental displacement of the in-use rest. 

1. A telephone handset comprising a readily applicable and removable rest embodying a pliant pad of a size and shape capable of supporting and elevating said handset and having top and bottom surfaces, said toP surface having self-contained means for cradling and maintaining the handset acceptably poised and in a reliably stabilized talking and listening position, and means carried by and depending from the bottom side and adapted to conformably embrace the selected shoulder and serving to balance and retain said pad in a set position, said self-contained means comprising a recess which is marginally contoured and accurately formed to accommodatingly and conformably and retentively seat the mouthpiece, receiver and interconnecting handle components of said handset.
 2. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said recess is also such in design and contour that it functions not only to securely cradle the handset but to cause it to assume an inclined ready-to-use state with the effective apertured surfaces of said mouthpiece and receiver facing upwardly and away from said top surface for coordinate orientation with the user''s ear and mouth, respectively.
 3. The rest defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said recess embodies a median lengthwise portion for the handset handle and end pockets for the receiver and mouthpiece, said pockets being similarly shaped so that said rest can be properly used on either shoulder merely by positioning it for use on the selected shoulder.
 4. The rest defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said pad is made of compressibly resilient material, foam rubber for example.
 5. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the means on said bottom side comprises a pair of opposed spaced legs constituting brackets, said legs being made of self-shape retaining material and being adapted to straddle the front and rear surfaces of the shoulder of the user.
 6. The rest defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the means on said bottom side comprises a pair of opposed spaced legs constituting brackets, said legs being made of self-shape retaining material and being adapted to straddle the front and rear surfaces of the shoulder of the user, said legs having upper ends integrally joined with said bottom surface and inward surfaces which are longitudinally grooved and ribbed in a manner to minimize slippage and accidental displacement of the in-use rest.
 7. A readily applicable and removable rest for a one-piece telephone handset comprising a compressibly resilient pad of a size and thickness to support and elevate said handset, said pad having planar top and bottom sides, said top side having a molded recess which is marginally delineated and otherwise contoured to conformably and retentively but removably seat the mouthpiece, receiver and interconnecting handle components of said handset, said bottom side having a median portion provided with a pair of opposed spaced depending legs made of self-shape retaining plastic material and providing companion brackets which are designed and adapted to comfortably and conformably straddle the shoulder of the user.
 8. The telephone handset rest defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein said legs having upper ends integrally joined with said bottom surface and inward surfaces which are longitudinally grooved and ribbed in a manner to minimize slippage and accidental displacement of the in-use rest. 